Just the one sailing today, with the supposedly light NW winds due to swing SW and increase further this afternoon. I say supposedly as it was quite a brisk NW wind, which restricted the zone of operations considerably. Everything for the reason though, and Neptune was in a particularly giving mood for a change. With me, a coven of NRA licence inspectors, a voluntary role that requires the wearing of a kevlar vest, and a police companion in these modern times. How did fishing ever come to this?
Perhaps this is why Neptune shone favour upon Martynas, Joe, Peter and Stuart. Karma in action. It started ok. Enough action to be interesting. And straight away it was obvious there was a good stamp of fish. No beasts, but lots of table fish. Of the 24 fish landed, I would say 18 would have gone into a commercials ice box. Luckily for the fish, BIF1 is not a licenced rod and line vessel, so we only killed the maximum 8.
I was taught two lessons, and both by Joe. Joe has been a client from way before BIF1 times, and he always struck me as a thinker. He is also very respectful to the quarry. If we were going to kill the fish, he was going to do it, with the japanese method of... erm... edgysomething or other. A narrow bore hollow tube is inserted between the fishes eyes, into the brain cavity. Instant death, with the centre of communications shut down, so the flesh is at its peak stage. No messages for chemical reactions to the onset of death that a smack over the head incites. Then a fine but strong wire is inserted and fed in along the spine. Then a gill is broken and the fish put into ice slurry to bleed out. End result is sushi grade bass. Some of our commercials do this technique here in Brighton, to achieve maximum £ per kg. A good idea imho. With practice, a fairly fast process. Joe taught me, that he wouldnt end up losing fishing time as we quickly hit the eight fish limit.
Joe also taught me that today was the day the fish were really looking up. A blessed relief. All year so far, topwaters have been a bit... well... pants. Shads far outscoring. Joe had a few swirls at one, and then fish on. This inspired me to break out the Axia glide. Fish on... fish on... fish on. This was toward the end of the session, but Martynas and Pete also jumped in on the action. A great way to end one of the better sessions of recent sailings.
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